Ironing table with variable contour



July 24, 1962 R. R. OLSWANG IRONING TABLE; WITH VARIABLE CONTOUR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1959 FIG.

FIG.

INVENTOR.

All I j G N H m M & m .fl A R S H/mm P L A R July 24, 1962 R. R. OLSWA'NG IRONING TABLE WITH VARIABLE CONTOUR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1959 INVENTOR.

6 N m A R w 0 m T T Of A R 5 UK H P L R smaller homes because of space limitations.

solution for this problem in the past has been to provide rates haters 3,hi5,3l3 Patented July as, 1962 fiice This invention relates to ironing table tops for hand ironing and provided with a working area having two different contours and with means for instantly changing from onecontour to the other.

An ironing board for ironing large flat articles like sheets and bed spreads should preferably be of rectangular shape with parallel longitudinal edges so that the flat articles being ironed can be progressively moved as they are ironed. The rectangular ironing table top is preferred for all flat articles regardless of size. Many of the articles ironed in the home are of tubular shape or of an irregular shape with cavities and for this purpose a table top having one tapered end is favored in order that the tubular article, large or small, may be slipped thereover for the ironing operation. The tapered board, however, is not useful for the larger fiat articles because its effective ironing area is limited to the width of the narrow end and the presence of the non-parallel sides tends to produce non-parallel ridges or creases in the work piece being ironed.

These two conflicting requirements are best solved by employing two ironing tables, one for each type of work. This, however, is not feasible in apartments and in the The best a plurality of hinged or sliding sections to convert the tapered board into a plain rectangle. This requires elongated hinges with special locks, or'links, levers, and rotary control member and assorted gadgetry. All of these arrangements produce trouble in adjusting the combined cover and pad from the small to the larger area, unless separate covers are used for each section and this produces creases. Also, the extended part is not nearly as rigid as the principal working area of the tapered board.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a single sliding panel of novel design'which will instantly convert the tapered area to a plain rectangular one and this is accomplished without hinged parts or linkages.

Another object of this invention is to provide a board having a tapered end with an extensible section to complete the rectangle with full parallel sides and wherein the added part is as stable and resistant to the ironing pressures as is the main body of the table top.

A further object of the invention is the combination with a tapered ironing table top of a sliding rectangular panel and combined cover and pad which latter instantly conforms to, and smoothly covers, the ironing table in each of its shapes.

Yet another object of the invention is to construct the sliding panel with a lower frame member which contacts the lower face of the fixed ironing table and which travels outwardly conjointly with but in advance of, the leading edge of the panel. This frame member acts as a pilot to expand the coverage provided by the pad when the panel is slid to extended position. Without this pilot bar the outwardly slidingpanel would tend tocut the pad.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an ironing table embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof and showing the legs broken away.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 and showing the sliding panel in extended position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged broken bottom plan view of the forward or tapered section of the table top.

FIG. 6 issection-taken on line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the board and cover with the panel in retracted position.

FIG. 8 is a broken view similar to FIG. 7 and showing the manner in which the cover accommodates the extended panel.

FIG. 9 is a section taken on line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 shows a modification of the invention.

The ironing table top of the present invention may be made from expanded metal or from sheet metal, the latter construction being illustrated and the top has a generally rectangular section 9 at one end thereof with opposed parallel, longitudinal edges 10 and a tapered section 11 ,at the other end defined by opposed converging edges 12 merging into a rounded terminal portion 13. It will be noted that the length of the tapered section is somewhat less than one-half the length of the main rectangular section which is consistent with approved home ironing board designs. The board is illustrated as having a plurality of longitudinal recesses 14-, the central'one of which extends into the tapered terminal section.

The board is reinforced on its lower surface by means of transverse struts 15 and 16, the latter of which carries a rod 17 mounted by brackets 20 forming a support for one leg 21. A second leg 22 is mounted on a rod 23 which is slidable in two opposed channels 24 and the legs are pivoted together in the sections where they cross each other, which sections, however, are not shown. The board is formed with a downwardly extending flange 25 around its periphery as well as an inwardly extending lower flange 26, both of which strengthen the board both longitudinally and transversely. The foregoing is largely conventional.

The improved sliding panel 27 which, along with the novel combined pad and cover, forms the principal improvement of the present invention, may also be made from sheet metal of substantially the same gauge as table top 9. It has parallel downwardly extending flanges 28 which are parallel and which enclose opposed edges 10 of rectangular section 9 with a sliding fit. flanges 28 are shown as being fiat as compared with flanges 25 which have a structural I beam contour shown best in FIG. 6. The sliding panel may also have longitudinal recesses 36 aligned with recesses 14. In size the panel may have a length slightly longer than its width and at its forward or outer end the opposed edges are diagonal as shown at 31 to coincide with board top edges 12 and the vertical flanges 28 may be omitted at this point.

Flanges 28 have lower horizontal extensions 32 which underlay lower horizontal flanges 26. Lower flanges 32 extend forwardly beyond forward edge 33 of the sliding panel as shown at 34 and their forward edges thereof are connected by a cross-bar 35 which may be separately formed to increase its structural strength and welded or otherwise secured to flanges 34. This bar 35 which moves in advance of the leading edge 33 of the panel acts as a pilot to, spread the pad which hugs edges 12 of the tapered section when the panel is in retracted position.

With the arrangement shown the panel 27 has a neat sliding fit with the table top 9. To considerably facilitate this sliding action a plurality of fiat patches 39 of tetrafluoroethylene sheeting (Teflon) may be adhered to one of the meeting faces. Forward movement of the sliding panel is limited by brackets 36 welded to the upper face of cross-bar 35 and having offset portions 3'7 which overlie the upper faces of flanges 26. These brackets also assure firm surface contact between table top and sliding panel when the latter is in the extended positoin of FIG. 4. A handle 4% extending downwardly from the lower surface of a cross-bar 35 has a two-fold purpose.

These vertical First, it serves as a handle to move the sliding panel; one, second, it causes the cover pad 41 to follow the contour of the board when the panel is slid back to its inoperative or fully nested position of FIG. 1.

This is an important feature of the present invention since a sloppy fitting pad which is characteristic of all twocontour ironing tables, is in great disfavor among housewives. The pad 41 may have a tubular channel 42 extending around its periphery which contains an elastic element (not shown). Thus, when in the position of FIG. 8 when the panel is in extended position, the elastic causes the edges 43 of the pad to hug the edges of the now rectangular top, and the pad to lie perfectly flat thereon.

An elastic band, or strap, 44 connects the opposed edges of the pad in that portion overlaying the tapered section 11. When the panel is manually moved from the extended position of FIG. 8 to the retracted position of FIG. 7, the handle encounters elastic 44 and pulls it to the left when viewed as in FIGS. 78, shortening the effective length of the elastic and thereby pulling the opposed margins 44 of the pad tightly against the opposed edges 12 of the tapered section 11 as best shown in FIG. 7.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 10 the panel 47 is guided in its sliding movement by means of headed pins 48 carried by the panel and moving in slots 50 in the ironing table top 51. This view shows the side flanges on the sliding panel eliminated but they may be provided if desired, especially for the purpose of strengthening those areas of the panel which do not overlie the tapered section 52 of the table top. The leading edge of the sliding panel is shown at 53 and there is also a lower panel 54 carried by the sliding panel and defined by a rear edge 55 and a forward edge 56 which is in advance of upper leading edge 53. The leading edge 56 of this lower panel, as before, acts as a pilot to spread the pad on the sliding panel to extended position. In its simplest form the lower panel may be omitted.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the inven tion, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims, and that all modification that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein.

What I claim is:

1. An elongated ironing table top of variable contour and provided with a rectangular section whose opposed longitudinal edges are substantially parallel and a tapered section of not more than one-half the length of the rectangular section, and a panel slidably mounted thereon with opposed longitudinal edges also parallel and of a width substantially the same as the rectangular section and arranged to move into the tapered section to overlie the same and increase its effective width and give the board a generally rectangular outline, the panel being provided with a section connected therewith and underlying the table top and provided with a leading edge positioned in advance of the leading edge of the panel, and means for guiding the panel during its travel and for retaining it in a longitudinal alignment with the table top, a handle on said underlying section, a padded covering for the table top and enclosing the margins of the top and panel, the leading edge of the underlying section spreading the covering as the panel is moved outwardly, and an elastic element connecting opposed edges of the covering in the tapered section and extending around the side of the handle opposite said leading edge to cause the handle to reduce the effective length of the elastic element as the panel is retracted and draws the covering into contact with 7 end and provided with reinforcing flanges around the 0pposed longitudinal edges of both sections, and a panel slidably mounted thereon and being of a width substantially the same as said rectangular section and of a length suflicient to cover a major portion of the length of the tapered section to increase its effective width, said panel having flanges enclosing the flanges on the rectangular top section, the latter forming trackways to guide the panel in its sliding movement, a cross-bar connecting the panel flanges on their lower faces at the outer ends thereof and arranged to contact the table top flanges and retain the outer end of the panel in firm contact with the face of the tapered section, a handle on said cross-piece to move the panel relative to the top, the covering having an elastic extending around its margins which snugly enclose the margin of the table top and sliding panel and an elastic element extending between said margins at the tapered end and inside the handle to draw the margins snugly around the edges of the tapered section, when the panel is being retracted, said cross-bar being positioned in advance of the leading edge of the panel as arranged to spread the covering as the panel is moved outwardly.

3. An elongated ironing table top of variable contour and provided with a rectangular section and a tapered section of about one-half the length of the rectangular section, and a panel sildably mounted thereon with opposed longitudinal edges of a width substantially the same as the rectangular section and arranged to move into the tapered section to overlie the same and increase its effective width, the panel being provided with a section underlying the table top and provided with a leading edge positioned in advance of the leading edge of the panel, a handle on said underlying section, a covering for the table top and enclosing the margins of the top and panel, the

leading edge of the underlying section acting to spreadthe covering as the panel is moved outwardly, and an elastic element connecting opposed edges of the covering in the tapered section and extending inside the handle to cause the latter to reduce the effective length of the elastic element as the panel is retracted and draw the covering into contact with the edges of the tapered section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

